Between Lebanon’s 76th and Lebanon’s 77th Independence Day… A LOT has happened. Economic deterioration, revolution, health crisis, Beirut’s explosion that left many dead, homeless, and some missing, increase in poverty, a dying lira, 2 resigned governments… and a government that is unable to get formed and take off.
All that brought us to where we are today, celebrating our 77th Independence Day without a government. Taking the pace of the negotiations into consideration, a question begs to be asked: Will Lebanon get to celebrate its 78th Independence Day next year?
More so, is it safe to say that we are truly independent? Lebanon’s independence was a glorious day in our country’s history. Many gave their lives to accomplish it, and we’ve been honoring them for years and years.
The bravery of the founding fathers of Lebanon’s independence and the resilience and strength of the Lebanese people, their heroic story, got Lebanon free from the French Mandate. But at this date and time, we are under another mandate, which is even torn apart in different directions by those in charge, our own.
The people are hostages of a corrupt and murderous system. We became aware of that this year more than ever.
We are billions of dollars in debt to other countries and the people have been robbed of their rights of access to their own money in banks. We have political ruling parties with allegiance to foreign governments or with their own agenda far above the people’s interest and wellbeing.
A humongous crime was committed against the people of Lebanon and no justice is seen materializing, all surrounded by a dark mystery. The French president came all the way from France to check the damages, pay his condolences to the people, and uplift their spirits when no Lebanese official bothered to do any of such.
President Macron went to the people in the streets, hugged them, talked to them, and listened to their sorrows and struggles. We can’t say the same of our own ruling politicians.
Macron offered an initiative that could save the country, so did the IMF, all relentlessly urging the Lebanese officials to take the offered help and step up with constructive actions. Yet, till now, their own discordances and interests are their top priority while the country sinks further down in its demise.
So again, should we be celebrating independence day this year? Is this the independence our forefathers fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve?
We can truly celebrate Lebanon’s Independence Day again when we are independent of corruption, neglect, the current politicians, and the system as a whole.
We will celebrate independence day, not with a new government, but with the right government… the government that Lebanon and its people so desperately need and so rightfully deserve.
Until then, the people will celebrate instead the memory of those who liberated this nation from oppression, they who inspire us today to prevail and persist in our demands.
